Electroplating apparatus.



PATENTED MAY 19, 1908.

J. T. DANIELS. ELEGTROPLATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7. 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' INVENTOR' HD1111 Tim- 1e15,

No. 888,067. PATENTED MAY 19, 1908.

J. T. DANIELS. ELEGTROPLATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7. 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR BY 9W Mob I ATTORNEYS .making JOB N T. DAN IELS, OF

' UNIT sTAtrEs NEWARK, N W JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE HANSON & VAN WINKLE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PATENT OFFIC ELECTROPLATING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that I, JOHN T. DANIELS, a citizenof the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Electroplating Apparatus; an I do hereby declare the following to be a full, cl'eanaudexact descri tion of the invention, such as will enable t ers skilled in the art towhich it appertainsto make and use the same, reference being had to the accom panying drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This mventionrelates, generally, to improvements in apparatus for the electrO-dep- 'osition ofmetals upon various articles; and,

the present invention is in the nature of an improvement in that class of electro-plating a paratus comprising a tank or vat in which t e electrolyte s contained and inwhich is placed a'rotatable drum, cylinder or basket, ordinaril termed the container, and in which the artic es which are to be plated are placed,

the container being supported upon contactbrackets or so ports extending from the si ea or ends oflt e, tank, and the container being provided with means for lower-. ing and raising the said container, so that the container or basket-carrying frame will make.

or breakelectrical connection with the said contact-brackets or supports.

The invention, therefore, has for its princi pal object to provide a novel and simple a'rrangement of the contact-making bracket or'.

. support-for the removable-container or haske't of an electro-plating apparatus, all-er ranged that a positive electrical contact will be made between the parts of the container or basket and-the means forsupporting the same 1n Its o erativerelation'within the tank or vat of t e'ap aratus. Q

A further 0 j'ectof this invention is to pro- -der-or basket being supported by means of a suspensionsjframe, which is provided with means which is adapted, as the di'um, cylin der or basket is lowered into the electroplating solution, to automatically register with contact-teats or projections,

withm the tank or vat, while making elecde an apparatus :of thegeneral character so as to er-' said bars or rods being ,fectly centerthe drum, cylinder-or basket lateral displacement, whereby the process of electro-deposition might possibly be interfered with. a

Other objects of this invention notat this time more particularly enumerated will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the present invention.

The invention consists in the novel electrolating apparatus hereinafter set forth and, iiirthermore, this invention consists'in the novel arrangements and combinations of devices and-parts, all of which will be heroin after more fully described and then finall embodied in the clauses of the claims which are appended to and which form an essential part of-this specificatlon.

The iIfYGIltlOIl is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figurel is a plan or top view of one form of electroplating apparatus rovided with a, revoluble contalner'mounte in a suspension frame adapted" to be brought in supporting engagement with the contact-making brackets or supports, all embodying the principles of this invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse section, on an enlarged scale, said section being taken on line 2.2 in said Fi 1, looking in the direction of the arrow-ac, t e tank or vat and some of the other parts, however, being Omitted from said View; and Fig. 3 is a crosssection, on still a larger" scale, said section bein taken on line 33 in Fig. 2, looking in the irection of the arrow 1 said View showing, in connection therewith a transverse sectional representation of a portion of the tank or vat and the contact-making bracket or sugport.

lmilar characters of reference are em ployed in all of the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referrin now-to the said drawings, the reference-c aracter 1, indicates a suitable plating tank or vat, comprising the sides 2 and ends 3, all of which are suitably con-. nected and may be tied by means ofthe usual tie-bolts 4.

The reference-character 5 indicates suitably disposed anode-bars or rods, in the present drawings two of such bars being shown,

provided with contact-elements or fixtures 6, having a connecting circuit-wire or rod 7 between them. An

' a pro ection 12,.wh1ch is cone-shape, and forms; an e ectrical "contact aswell as a retaining.orfl1olding1 me1nber, as

lation .by' means of a set-screw;1 751) substan- I 3 of the drawings.

other element or fixture 8 islconnec'ted with I cuit-wire orrod QWhich-leads to the source- Of course, it will .be 'evi- 'anode-bar may be emf 'loyed, or more e used, from which the metala'nodes are to range( accordingly; Suitably secured 1 ,tank'or vat 1,

having a forwardly extending arm 11 which ,isI rovided withyan upwardly projecting teat i referably made fwill liereinai'ter more' fully appear.- Each bracket or support is also formed with a receiving' socket 13, or other suitable: means,

- for the connection therewith-of the.end -portioniof an electric-wireor-rod .14, the. same beingsecured in its electrically connected res-' tially in the manner illustrated 'igs. '1 and ports lfl-in'circuit is by connecting each pair of bracketsor supports upon each end of the apparatus by means. ofsaid wires 14, a con'. Y

' in turn are electrically connected. at any 7 point n circuit with the otherj main;circuitwire of'the mainsourc e'ol electricity, V

invention, a revoluble or rotary drum, cylinf der or container 18, which usually is a cylin-. der or drum of wood, or the like, but may be present. construction the drum or cylinder is which the drum or cylinder-is mounted upon I the usual shaft 26, indicatedjin dotted out line in Fig; '1. The said container or drum,

is suspended-in its operative position in the tank or vat 1 by-me'ans of a suspension irame :of'any desired construction, that shown in the present case comprising 'a center-bar or lift 20, at each end of'which is secured inany terminating in or connected with bearings 25 in which the shaft offthe container is rotatably arranged; The shaft 26 is also provided with a flattened. end-member 27, suitably insulated, as at 2S,js'ee Fig. 2, and which is adapted to be inserted in-a slottedpart 30 of 5 a spindle or auxiliary shaft- 29 which is v I mounted in beari I driven-from a driving the container or drum, and 29 havebeen brought in the r connected,

be sus ended, the electric wiringbeingar upon the upper'edge or' other suitable portions ,of'theends 3 of the 1s an arrangement ofjcontact-' i making brackets'o'r supports 10, each bracket '15 -erably lined One manner! (if electrically'c'onnecting all of the brackets or sup- I have illustrated in connectionwith my made'in the form of a wicker basket. In the p provided with end-bearings '19, by, means of to be plated are self-evident and need not be suitable manner, preferably. by means of. bolts 21 and nuts 22, across-bar or element. 23. 7 Each bar or element 23 is p'ro'vided'with downwardly extending arms or members 24,

s .3 1, see Fig.1 1, and is mg wheel, as 32, and 311- J being arranged for the purpose of revolving when'the shafts, 26 a '70 relation with each other. I That the-said 's uspension device or frame maybe properly supthepreviously I ports 10, laterally extendlngport ons 33 are formed upon the sides of said arms or memandj3; of the draw1ngs-,'said holes ,being pref with a wearir'ig-sleeve',

mentioned brackets or sup-Q of substan ported. in its contact-making relation upon bers24, and connected with each pair of said portions 33 is'a connecting bar or plate-like i member 34/ Each member 34 is formed 4 with suitably disposed .holes 35, 'tiallythe configurationshown in said Figs, 2

copper rv other suitable. metal which is, a good conductorof electricity. These :various holes 35 and their sleeves or projections 12, thus making a perfect-elec-v trical connection,

'ation.

12 are, preferably made in. a cone-sh openings-and fsl'eev'es ng'the members 34 will be caused to more readily enter into their contactmaki ng engagement with the sleeves 3,6, as will be clearly.understood. 1

- The operation of the appara of the electric circuit, through the partsofthe apparatus and, through the anodes, and-the e As has beenstated the teats or projectiong l ape -manner, or taper substant ally as shown, the

36 are disposed in i said members 34; in such a-mariiir, that, y when the suspension frame'and' the container are lowered, they will register with said teats '90 and at the same time,.re I wtaining or holding the parts (if the frame and Y container intheir'properly centered relations v within the tankor vatagainstI'any lateral displacement, whilethe apparatus is in ope/r595 s ,1 10a being much larger at the bottom than'at their tops,"so that the saidteats or projectionsfin case of a slight dis 'alinement of the' parts,

I tus-for plating purposes is well-known, and the completion eetrolytic solution and the work which is 1; 7

further described. It willals'o. be evident,-

1-., in an electroplating apparatus, the combination with a'tank, of-a container, a

suspension frame in which the container is connected-withsaid tank, and a cone-shaped Y I contact-teat on each bracket, said suspension frame be ng provided with invertedtapering teat-recelvmg holes adapted to register with said teats to make electrical'c'ontact.

2. In an" electroplating apparatus, the

combination with a tank, of a container, a suspension frame in whlchthecontamer is mounted, a series of contact-making brackets mounted, a series of contact-making brackets 5 vided with 'mounted, a spindle rotatively arranged in one connected with said tank, and a cone-shaped J contact-teat on each bracket, said suspension frame being provided with inverted tapering holes, and wearing sleeves in said holes adapted to register with said teats to make l electrical contact. 7 l 3,13. In an electroplating apparatus, the comififijnation with a tank, of a revoluble container removably arranged in said tank, a series of contact-making brackets connected with said tank, and a cone-shaped contact-teat on each bracket, said suspension frame being provided with inverted tapering teat-receiving holes adapted to register with said teats to make electrical contact.

4. In an electroplating apparatus, thecombination with a tank, of a revoluble container removably arranged in said tank, a series of contact-making brackets connected with said tank, and a cone-shaped contact-teaton each bracket, said suspension frame being provided with inverted ta ering holes, and wearing sleeves in said ho es adapted to register with said teats to make electrical contact.

5. In an electro-plating apparatus, the coinbination with a tank, of a container insaid tank, a shaft upon which said container is affixed, said container and shaft being removable from said tank, a suspension frame robearings in which said sha t is end of said tank, a means of separable 0011- nection between said spindle and said shaft, a series of contact-making brackets connected with said tank, and a cone-shaped contactteat on each bracket, said suspension frame being provided with tapering teat-receiving holes adapted to register with said teats to make electrical contact.

6. In an electroplating apparatus, the coinbination with a tank, of a container in said tank, a shaft upon which said container is affixed, said container and shaft being removable from said tank, a suspension frame provlded with bearings in which said shaft is f mounted, a spindle rotatively arranged in one end of said tank, a means of separable connection between said spindle and said shaft, a series of contact-making brackets connected with ,said tank, and a cone-shaped contact-teat on each bracket, said suspension frame being provided with tapering holes, and wearing sleeves in said holes adapted to register with said teats to make electrical contact.

7. In an electroplating apparatus, the combination with a'tank, of electrically connected anodebars mounted on said tank, electrically connected brackets connected with said tank, a suspension frame and container said tank, said frame being provided with inverted tapering teatreceiving holes, a wearing sleeve in each hole, and cone-shaped teats on said brackets adapted to register with said sleeves in said frame to make electrical contact therewith and prevent lateral displacement of said frame -and container.

8. In an electroplating apparatus, the (301117 bination with a tank, of a suspension frame for a container, said frame consisting of a center-bar, a cross-bar at each end thereof, arms extending downwardly from each crossbar, and a plate-like member connecting said downwardly extending arms, said members being provlded with inverted tapering teatreceiving holes a wearing sleeve in each hole, a series of contact-making brackets on said tank, and cone-shaped teats on said brackets registering with said sleeves to make electrical contact with said plate-like members and prevent lateral displacement of said frame.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day of June, 1907.

JOHN T. DANIELS. 

